Wire-tying tool



Jan. 26 1926. 1,570,630

H. B. FOULDER WIRE TYING TOOL Filed August 21. 1924 2 Sheets-Shoot 1 INVENTOR m l ATTORNEY I Jan. 26 1926. I H. B. FOULDER WIRE TYING TOOL Filed August 21, 1924 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 V I I I INVENTOR JQw dM ATTORNEY Patented Jan. 26, 1926.

UNITED STATES 1,570,630 PATENT OFFICE.

HENRY B. IEO'ULDIIR,01's GLENBBOOK, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR TO J'. P. CURRY MFG. CO., INC, OF STAMFORD, CONNECTICUT, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

WIRE-TYING TOOL.

Application filed August 21, 1924. Serial No. 733,257.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HENRY B. FOULDER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Glenbrook, in the county of Fairfieldl and State of Connecticut, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in a Wire- Tyin Tool, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates'to wire tying tools, and more particularly relates to a tool head whereby wire ties may be engaged successively with the tool for twisting aboutthe neck of a bag or other article: to be tied.

One of the objects of my invention is to provide a tie-holding head for wire tying tools, which grips the'ties in such a way as to leave the ends of the ties disposed apart after the twisting operation, thereby permitting the tie ends to'be readily vgrasped and manipulated-by the-fingers to untwist the tie and to undo the bag or other article tied thereby when desiredl; and to provide a head in which the tiesmay be engaged readily and easily in proper position,. and which holds the ties securely during. the desired twisting operation.

Another object of my invention-is to provide a tie twisting head of the character described and one which may be manipulated to automatically release a tie after it has been twisted by the rotation of thehead.

Another object of my invention is to provide an improved releasing. tie-holdinghead for a tie-twisting machine such as is described in an application for machine for tying wire ties filed by me February 7, 1924, Serial No. 691,124.

Other objects of my invention will be in part obvious and in part pointed out hereinafter.

Primarily my invention consists in providing a tie-holding head with a single slot transverse to its axis of rotation, in the rear of which slot are two spaced recesses, each adaptedto receive and to locate one enlarged end of a wire tie. Preferably the recesses are equidistantly on opposite sides of the twisting axis so that when the head is rotated the twisting of the tie proceeds in line with this axis. The heads of the tie are retained in the recesses so that they are not drawn together by the twisting of the tie and remain spaced apart when the tie is removed from the head to facilitate the untwisting of the tie when desired. Along the rear of the slot the head preferably is so contoured that each end of. a tie will-become seated. in its recess automatically when the ends of the tie are engaged in the slot. The slot may be of fixed dimensions, as when :a nonreleasinghead is desired, or the slot maybe so arranged'thatit can be widened' at appropriate times-to permit the enlarged. tie ends to pass forwardly there;- through, thus disengaging; the tie from the head, as when a tie-releasing head is desired. In the latter case, the slota-nd. recesses may be created by two coacting jaws, each providing a portion of. the slot and recesses, and movable toward and from each other to condition the slot'tohold a: tie or to release a. tie. Any suitable mechanism may be employed to move and) to maintainthe. jaws in: the desiredposition. Also any suit able mechanism may be employedto rotate the tie-holding head to twist: the tie, and, as beforestatcd, the tool may be a hand tool, a bench tool, a releasing tool or a non-releasing. tool. a

In order that a clearer understanding of my inventio'n may be. had, attention is hereby directed to the accompanyingdrawings, forming a part of this application, and illustrating, as one possible embodiment of my invention, a head which is associated with the actuating mechanism disclosed in my said application Serial No. 691,124. Referring to-the drawings, Fig. 1 is a top View of a head embodying my invention associated with the actuating mechanism disclosed in my said prior application, the actuating mechanism being shown in lightlines; Fig. 2 is a longitudinal view, partially in section, of the head and spindle, and is taken on the line; 2'-2 of Fig. I, the jaws of the head being closed upon a tie, which isshown in dot and dash lines; Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2', but shows the jaws open, and no tie in place; Fig. 4 is an enlarged sectional view of a fragmentof the head, and is taken on the line 44:

lar parts throughout the several views of the drawings.

Referring to the drawings, the machine comprises a suitable base plate 1 having suitable spaced supporting standards 2 and 3. A drive shaft 4 is rotatably and slidably mounted on the standards. A pulley 5 is mounted on shaft 4 for constant rotation from a source of power (not shown). A clutch disk 6 is affixed by pin 6 to the shaft 4 on one side of pulley 5, and at the other side of the pulley 5 is a complementary clutch disk 7, which has a hub 8 rotatably extending through standard 2 and has a collar 9 secured to this hub on the opposite side of the standard. Shaft 4 rotates and slides in hub 8. A coil spring 10 is confined between the collar 9 and another collar 11 secured to the shaft 4, and this spring censtantly urges the shaft 4 and its clutch disk 6 to move toward the front of the machine and to cause the pulley 5 to be clutched between the disks 6 and 7, so that the shaft 4 will rotate with the pulley A tie twisting spindle 12 is mounted for rotation in the standards 2 and 3, and preferably above and to one side of the shaft 4. This spindle carries a. tie twisting head 13 at its forward end. The twisting spindle 12 is caused to be rotated whenever shaft 4 rotates through the intervention of a gear 14 secured to the shaft 4 and in constant mesh with a gear wheel 15, which is mounted for rotation on a stud 16 projecting from the standard 3. This gear wheel 15 carries a crank arm 17 which reciprocates a sector gear element 18, the teeth of which are in constant mesh with a gear 19 fixed upon the twisting spindle 12. Sector gear 18 is mounted for rotatable reciprocation on a shaft 20 supported by the standards. It will be readily apparent that each time the gear wheel 15 makes one revolution, the spindle 12 will be rotated a certain number of turns in one direction and then will be rotated the same number of turns in the reverse direction into initial position. Preferably, the gear ratio is such that for each revolution of the gear wheel 15, the spindle 12 will be retated two and one-half revolutions first in one direction and then in the reverse direction.

There are means whereby the operator may quickly and easily throw in the clutch 6, 7 to cause the spindle 12 to undergo these rotations, and I also provide means whereby, when the spindle 12 has been ro tated in one direction and then in the other into initial position, the clutch will be thrown out and the rotation of the drive shaft 4 will be stopped. There also are means for releasing a twisted tie from association with the twisting head when the spindle has finished its rotation in tie twisting direction and as it starts rotation in the reverse direction. These means may be such as are described in my said prior application.

The tie-holding head comprises a member 21 which is tubular at its rear and is internally threaded for engagement with threads on the forward end of spindle 12, on which the head may be screwed and held by lock nut 22. The forward portion of member 21 is flat and slotted as at 23, and twojaws are pivoted in this slot on pins 25. Outside of slot 23 each jaw is contoured to curve downwardly and then upwardly in hooklike shape. At the adjacent edges of the jaws their extremities are cut away from each other widely and then vertically for a distance, thus forming, when the jaws are together, a slot 26 adapted to receive and to hold the enlarged ends 27 of a wire tie 28, and a flaring portion 29 at the top of the slot, which guides the tie ends into the slot. The lower portions 30 of the jaws meet when the jaws are closed, thus blocking egress of the tie downwardly out of the slot. Along each edge of each jaw adjacent the rear of slot 26 are two spaced recesses, 31 and 32, the two recesses of each jaw aligning and ooacting with the two recesses of the other aw to form recesses, in each of which one enlarged end 2'? of a wire tie will be located when a tie is placed in the slot, and in which the tie ends will be retained during the twisting of the tie,'so as to leave the ends of the tie spaced apart when the tie has been twisted and removed from the head. These recesses are preferably equidistantly spaced on opposite sides of the axis of rotation of the head. Preferably at the rear of the slot the walls of the jaws incline forwardly, as at 33, from the lower recess to the upper recess, and above the upper recess the walls incline forwardly to it as at 34. The first and lower tie end will naturally locate itself in the lower recess 32, filling the recess, and then the upper tie end will be automatically guided by the inclined walls 33 or 34 into the upper recess 31.

A rod 35 is slidably disposed in the. forward end of spindle 12 and enters head portion 21, and its end is movably located between the heel portions 36 of the jaws 24. When the rod is forwardly disposed with respect to the spindle and head, its forward end seats in a recess 37 formed in the heel portions 36, permitting the heels of the jaws to move upon the reduced portion 38 of the rod and allows the aws to open sufiiciently to permit the enlarged ends of a tie in the head to move forwardly through the slot and to be released from the tool. When the rod is rearwardly disposed with respect to the spindle and head the jaws are held close together by the engagement of the rod end between the heel portions in condition to hold a tie in place. Preferably there is a bevel surface engagement between the rod end and the heel ends. 7

The rear end of rod 35 carries a disk-like member 57 which may be keyed to the rod as at 58. At the location of this key the spindle 12 is slotted, as at 59, to permit longitudinal movement of the rod 35 and disk 57 with respect to the spindle 12. As will be readily apparent, when the disk member 57 is in forward position, the rod 35 will be in forward position, and the jaws will be open to release a tie, all as shown in Figs. 3 and 6. When the disk 57 is in retracted position, the rod 35 will be in retracted position, and the tie engaging jaws will be locked together to retain a. tie in slot 26 for and during twisting thereof.

60 is a lever pivoted at its lower end to a bracket 61 secured to the base 1 of the machine. The upper end of this lever rests against the rear of the disk 57. Intermediate its ends, lever 60 has a riding surface 63, constantly in the path of rotation of a cam 64 formed on the rear surface of the cam disk 44, which is mounted for rotation with the gear 15. The arrangement is such that whenever the cam 64: actuates the lever 60, the disk 57 will be moved forwardly and the twisting head will be placed in tie releasing condition, but at other times a spring 65 associated with the rod 35 of the twisting head constantly holds the twisting head in tie retaining condition. Spring 65 is confined between a flange 66 on rod 35 and a washer 67 pressed against internal shoulders in head portion 21.

Then a non-releasing head is desired the entire head may be made in one integral piece, or in a plurality of pieces rigidly secured together.

As many changes could be made in the above construction and as many apparently widely different embodiments of this inven tion could be made without departing from the scope thereof, it is intended that all mat ter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

lVhat I claim is 1. A rotatable tie twisting head of the character described, including a single slot for both ends of a wire tie headed at each end, and a pair of recesses adjacent the rear of the slot, one for each head of the tie, said recesses being spaced apart along said slot a substantial distance, whereby the heads at the ends of the tie are held a substantial distance apart sidewise of each other irrespective of the twisting of the tie.

2. A rotatable tie twisting head of the character described, including a single slot for both ends of a wire tie headed at each end, and a pair of recesses adjacent the rear of the slot, one for each head of the tie, said recesses being spaced apart along said slot a substantial distance, whereby the heads at the. ends of the tie are held a substantial distance apart sidewise of each other irrespective of the twisting of the tie, said recesses being spaced equidistantly on opposite sides of the axis of rotation of the twisting head.

3. A rotatable tie twisting head of the character described, including a single slotfor both ends of a wire tie headed at each end, and a pair of recesses adjacent the rear of the slot, one for each head of the tie, said recesses being spaced apart along said slot a substantial distance, whereby the heads at the ends of the tie are held a substantial distance apart sidewise of each other irrespective of the twisting of the tie, and a surface on the twisting head at the rear of the slot inclining forwardly to one of said recesses, whereby one of the tie heads is guided into one of said recesses.

4. A rotatable tie twisting head of the character described, including a front upwardly extending flange portion having a slot flaringly open at one end, and a pair of recesses at the rear of the slot spaced apart along the slot a. substantial distance, each recess being shaped to receive one enlarged end head of a wire tie, and said slot being wide enough to receive the wire of the tie and normally narrow enough to prevent the tie head from passing forwardly therethrough.

5. A tie twisting head of the character described, including a pair of jaws forming together a single slot for both ends of a wire tie, with a pair of spaced recesses at the rear of the slot, one recess for each enlarged extremity of the tie when extended through the slot, whereby the extremities of the tie are held in spaced apart relation irrespective of the twisting of the tie, said jaws being movable toward and from each other to vary the width of the slot to prevent and to permit the tie extremities to pass forwardly therethrough.

6. A rotatable tie twisting head of the character described, including a single slot for both ends of a wire tie having a head at each end and extending transversely across the axis of rotation of the head, and a pair of recesses adjacent the rear of the slot and located on opposite sides of the axis of rotation of the head, one recess for each head of the tie, whereby the heads of the tie are held spaced apart sidewise a substantial amount irrespective of the twisting of the tie, and the tie is positioned to be twisted substantially on the. axis of rotation of the head.

This'specification signed this 18th day of August, 1924.

HENRY B. FOULDER. 

